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A student on the prosecution team introduces herself during a mock trial in the University Center North Ballroom.

Business Law

Pair with any bachelor’s degree

Degree Type

Minor

Department

School of Business

Some of the most successful CEOs have backgrounds in law, which equips them with the knowledge they need to comprehensively analyze problems. A minor in Business Law will prepare you to be a core driver of corporate strategy in almost any career application.

Program Overview

Business Law

Learn how businesses operate and interact with the law.

The Business Law minor will give you critical insight into how law governs the rights and activities of companies. In the program, you’ll develop a versatile set of analytical and negotiation skills to give you the competitive advantage you’ll need as a leader in business operations, management consulting or health care policy.

The curriculum also provides hands-on opportunities to master leadership and critical thinking skills in mock trials and group projects. As a supplement to any other bachelor’s degree, the Business Law minor will bolster your credentials with challenging coursework in Business Law, Constitutional Law and Environmental Law.

Strengthen your business degree

The Business Law minor is an opportunity for students to bolster their degree with key coursework in business law, constitutional law and environmental law needed to succeed in the competitive, consequential and eco-conscious marketplace.

Program Requirements

At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.

The Business Law Minor is designed for students who are interested in learning about the legal principles governing business practices. This program will develop a versatile set of analytical and negotiation skills to give students a competitive advantage in whatever career they choose. The minor is designed to provide students from any academic discipline with the knowledge and understanding necessary to identify and manage legal issues encountered in business contexts.  

A minimum of 18 credits are required.

Course List
Code Title Credits
Required (core):
BUAD 210Legal Environment of Business3
BUAD 315Advanced Business Law3
One of the following (ethics):3
BUAD 300
Business Ethics
PHIL 135
Introduction to Ethics
PHIL 335
Advanced Ethics
ACC 498
Accounting Ethics
ENVS 410
Environmental Ethics
Two of the following: (law electives)6
BUAD 240
Strategic Negotiations
BUAD 320
Property and Contracts
BUAD 342
Environmental and Water Law
BUAD 344
Intellectual Property Law
BUAD 420
Energy Law and Regulation
BUAD 421
Energy Contracts
POLS 300
Constitutional Law I
POLS 301
Constitutional Law II
POLS 390
Mock Trial
One of the following (electives):3
POLS 180
Introduction to American Politics (GT-SS1)
PHIL 100
Critical Thinking
ACC 350
Income Tax
BUAD 275
Design Your Life
Total Credits18

Careers


Top Skills

  • Analytical Thinking
  • Communication
  • Critical Thinking
  • Legal Research
  • Negotiation Skills
  • Problem Solving



Career Pathways

  • Compliance Manager
  • Corporate Lawyer
  • General Counsel
  • Intellectual Property Lawyer
  • Investment Banker
  • Tax Lawyer

Take the first steps toward your academic and personal growth.

Fostering your intellectual development is the primary focus of every academic program at Western. Our professors and Office of Career Services will help you identify your strengths, hone your skills, define your goals, and prepare for a fulfilling and enriched life after graduation. Wondering how you can apply your program of choice to your intellectual and personal journey? Check out our “What Can I Do With This Major?” tool to explore the diverse opportunities and pathways within any degree program.

Scholarships

Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.

Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.

Find your Scholarships

Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.

Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.

Find your Scholarships

Alumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship

The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.

Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.

  • This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
  • Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
  • GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).

Due date has been extended to April 30 for 2024. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.

Apply

Alumni Legacy Scholarship

The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).

Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:

  • This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
  • Nominee must be an incoming first-year student or new transfer.
  • The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
  • GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).

The applicant must fill out the application form found below. Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.

Apply

Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship

The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.

Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).

  • Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
  • The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
  • The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.

The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.

For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.

Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.

For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.

Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.

For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.

Note: Students enrolled in a Western-CU Boulder Partnership Program (i.e. major) do not qualify for Western Merit Scholarship programs. See the Rady Merit Scholarship section above for scholarship opportunities.

Get Involved

Business Mock Interview

Make your education a life changing experience.

A college education is so much more than just taking classes. Expand your community and network, while gaining hands-on experience in your field.

  • Career Fairs: Connect with future employers during the various career fairs in the School of Business and around Colorado.
  • ICELab: The Innovation + Creativity + Entrepreneurship (ICE) Lab on upper campus is a space that provides startups and expanding businesses with the materials and support needed to succeed.
  • Office of Career Success: Business students have a department-specific career services professional.
  • Study Abroad: Experience Harlaxton College in the English Midlands.

Career ready

Tierce Weaver, a junior transfer student, faces interviewers in a mock internship interview.

News & Research

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Ethics Bootcamp Gives Business Students a Foundation for the Future

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Department Information

School of Business

Associate Dean

Paula Mann, CPA

Associate Dean of the School of Business, Assistant Professor of Accounting

Contact Information

970.943.2231

Campus Location

Western Colorado University
Borick Business Building 223
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231

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We keep the Mountaineer spirit going strong within our alumni community. Whether getting together with friends at an annual event, making a donation or mentoring a student, graduates continue to play an important role in the Western community.

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